UNIT 9: TRAVELING AND CULTURE
My name‿ is‿ Ana. I travelled‿ abroad for‿ an‿ operation two years‿ ago,│ and‿ I have│ since grown sceptical‿ of‿ a debate conducted‿ almost‿ exclusively in terms‿ of price.
The economics‿ are genuine‿ enough. The same procedure cos(t) me four thousan(d) dollars‿ abroad│ an(d) nothing‿ at home,│ excep(t) that the wait was nine months during│ which‿ I could neither work│ nor drive. Cross-border treatment‿ is‿ expanding,│ an(d) certain clinics‿ are‿ excellent,│ with‿ accreditation‿ and‿ aftercare‿ exceeding my expectations. The risks,│ however,│ are‿ unevenly distributed:│ should‿ a complication‿ arise,│ your liability is‿ unclear,│ your‿ insurer may refuse‿ a claim registered‿ abroad,│ an(d) the surgeon│ who attends you afterwards did not perform the operation‿ and‿ is‿ under no obligation to be diplomatic‿ about the handiwork‿ of‿ a colleague.
What‿ I objec(t) to is the framing. Medical tourism‿ is presented‿ as consumer choice│ when‿ it‿ is‿ in fact‿ a symptom‿ of rationing,│ an(d) were public systems‿ adequately funded most‿ of‿ us would never travel. I should repeat the exercise for‿ an‿ elective procedure‿ I could plan,│ an(d) never‿ in‿ an‿ emergency. The decisive factor‿ is not the clinic,│ the hotel nor the price;│ it‿ is│ whether the aftercare has been‿ arranged│ before the passport,│ and‿ in my case‿ it had been. That‿ arrangement,│ rather than the operation‿ itself,│ is what‿ I would‿ advise‿ anybody to secure first.